Engineering news
The wheels have come off: Brexit blamed as UK car production plummets
Professional Engineering
Car production fell for the 11th consecutive month in April, with 44.5% fewer cars built than in the same month last year. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which released the figures, said Brexit was to blame. Companies brought forward and extended factory shutdowns – usually scheduled for the summer holiday – to mitigate against the expected uncertainty of leaving the European Union on 29 March.
Are renewables out of energy?
The Guardian
Despite the frequent positive headlines around the UK's renewable energy generating capacity, especially sources such as offshore wind, investment in the sector reportedly fell by more than half between 2015-17. Jobs also dropped by 30%, following cuts to support schemes and incentives.
Rugged robots go offshore
The Engineer
Renewable jobs might have dropped 30% already, but even inspection and maintenance could be fully automated in future. Led by Plant Integrity from Cambridge, with £4m Innovate UK backing, the Mimree (Multi-Platform Inspection, Maintenance and Repair in Extreme Environments) project will trial a completely robotic team for work on offshore turbines. An unmanned boat, drone and crawling robot will travel to, inspect and potentially repair turbines.
Not just another flying taxi
New Atlas
We are clearly living in the future if the unveiling of a brand new VTOL flying taxi prototype risks the public rolling its eyes and saying: "What, another one?" Thankfully, Alaka'i Technologies Skai has a big difference – hydrogen power. Using the clean gas over batteries could massively boost range to 640km, potentially making it a more commercially-viable option.
Turning push into pull: 'unprecedented' metamaterial reverses impact force
Professional Engineering
Spacecraft, cars and people’s heads could be better protected against dangerous impacts thanks to an origami-inspired ‘metamaterial’ that creates a “counterintuitive” response to forces. Created by researchers at the University of Washington in the US, the team built a paper model that uses folding creases to soften impact forces – and promote forces that reduce stresses. “If you were wearing [an American] football helmet made of this material and something hit the helmet, you'd never feel that hit on your head,” said aeronautics associate professor and corresponding author Jinkyu Yang. “By the time the energy reaches you, it's no longer pushing, it's pulling.”
Satellite sail is a drag
The Engineer
Space debris is a huge and growing problem. 'Junk' ranging from minuscule fragments to entire satellites flying at thousands of miles per hour threaten future launches. To tackle the issue, satellite developers are installing new technology to ensure their spacecraft burn up on the atmosphere. Surrey Satellite Technology and Cranfield University celebrated the latest successful test after the Icarus-1 drag sail deployed on board the TechDemoSat-1, hopefully accelerating its orbital decay.
Power for recycling plant is rubbish
Energy Live News
Burning 320,000 tonnes of rubbish will power a new £65m plastic recycling plant. Viridor's Avonmouth facility hopes to put 60,000 tonnes of recycled plastic back into the economy every year.
Monorail to the pyramids
Professional Engineering
Bombardier workers in Derby will help more people reach some of the world’s greatest wonders by building rolling stock for a new multi-billion pound Cairo monorail. The manufacturer was named preferred bidder to build and supply the new system during a visit to Egypt by secretary of state for international trade Liam Fox. The design and build contract and 30-year operation and maintenance deal are worth roughly £1bn each for Bombardier Transportation.
SlothBot takes things slow
New Atlas
A new sloth-inspired robot could help protect the environment by efficiently – and slowly – traversing overhead cables. Created by Georgia Tech graduate research assistants, the SlothBot uses 3D-printed parts and solar panels to grip and move along the cables.
Difficult terrain just a hop, skip and a jump for US Army's bouncing Salto robot
Professional Engineering
A miniature hopping robot made for the US Army has mastered complex movements thanks to a “sophisticated” new control system, helping develop technology that could save lives in rugged environments. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, first unveiled the Salto in 2016. Standing for saltatorial locomotion on terrain obstacles, the robot could jump and rebound off a wall and leap more than three-times its height. Now, a new video has shown the Salto venturing outside of the laboratory for the first time and showing off new tricks such as bouncing in place, navigating an obstacle course and following a moving target.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.